A/64/PV.23 General Assembly

The world financial and economic crisis has jeopardized the steady socio-economic development of the African continent. Today, as never before, it is important to implement political agreements in support of Africa achieved both at the United Nations and in other multilateral forums, including the Group of Eight and the Group of 20 (G-20). We reaffirm Russia’s commitment to implementing international commitments to assist African countries, in particular in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and implementing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which are the generally recognized frameworks for working with Africa. At the G-20 Summit, it was decided to significantly increase assistance to the world’s poorest countries, the majority of which are African States. We will actively help to implement this. Recently, we concluded an agreement with the World Bank to contribute $50 million to the Rapid Social Response Multi-Donor Trust Fund Facility. We are considering additional opportunities to provide assistance on a bilateral basis. A good foundation for subsequent action in support of NEPAD was laid by the political declaration on Africa’s development needs (resolution 63/1), adopted at last year’s high-level plenary meeting on the theme “Africa’s development needs: state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward”. We believe that in the future it will not only be important to focus on providing financial assistance as a means of reacting to the crisis, but also essential to focus national and international efforts on ensuring long-term economic growth, development of infrastructure, and social support to the poorest and most vulnerable strata of the population. Priority must also be given to programmes encouraging the participation of private capital in infrastructure and social projects. Strengthening Russia’s traditional friendly relations with African States and broadening multifaceted interaction with them remains a foreign policy priority for us. Tens of thousands of Africans have graduated from educational institutions in our country, and many Russian professionals — including physicians, engineers and geologists — have worked and continue to work in many African countries. Recently, interaction between Russia and Africa has regained considerable momentum. The most vivid proof of this was last June’s visit by President Dmitry A. Medvedev of the Russian Federation to Africa, during which we reaffirmed our commitment to developing an overall partnership with Africa as well as with the African Union, subregional organizations and individual countries in the economic and humanitarian areas. Dealing with socio-economic problems in Africa is impossible without ensuring lasting peace on the continent. To this end, a proactive stance by Africans themselves is essential. It is important to consistently implement measures to strengthen harmony; to eliminate illegal armed groups; to broaden cooperation on border security in order to seal borders against conflict spill-over and trafficking in illegal weapons and drugs; and to curb violations of the norms of international humanitarian law and put an end to impunity for crimes against humanity. We welcome current efforts being made in those areas by the African community, as we do the vigorous work of the African Union Peace and Security Council, including its establishment of an African Standby Force. It is exceedingly important to continue to work to develop cooperation between the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia makes significant contributions towards developing a strategy for the international community as well as practical measures to strengthen peace and security in the region. We participate in the majority of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa. We have created opportunities for increasing Russian assistance to help Africa build its capacity to resolve crises, first and foremost by providing additional training in Russia for African peacekeeping troops, along with the provision of rear guard and logistical support for African Union peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council, as well as aviation and transport services.

First of all, Mr. President, I would like to express my delegation’s appreciation for the very illuminating introduction with which you opened this debate devoted to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the promotion of sustainable economic growth and sustainable development. My delegation fully associates itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of the Sudan and Tunisia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, respectively. I should like to thank the Secretary-General for his reports on the issue we are addressing today: the seventh consolidated progress report on implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/64/204), the report on the state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward (A/64/208) and the report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/64/210). Those reports and the recommendations they contain serve to remind us that Africa has made significant progress since we began to implement NEPAD, which is now an agency of the African Union. The establishment of this new mechanism and its incorporation into the Union will produce effective complementarity in the Union’s missions and efforts as a whole in the common pursuit of Africa’s development and integration. Algeria, which was among the first African countries to promote NEPAD, would like once again to underscore the importance of this strategic framework in ensuring the rebirth of the continent. The Partnership reflects the resolve of African countries to place the continent on the path towards economic and social development by taking charge of its own development efforts. The report of the Secretary-General clearly indicates that, despite every commitment and effort made by African countries and their institutions, the main problem continues to be the lack of financial resources. Six years from the deadline established by the international community for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Africa is the only continent still facing major obstacles in its efforts to combat poverty and need. The ongoing global economic and financial crisis, a complex food crisis and the exacerbation of the negative consequences of climate change could potentially undermine the significant progress made in the implementation of sustainable development programmes, which are of crucial importance to the continent. Algeria concurs with the Secretary-General on the urgent need for action to address the economic and financial crisis. In that regard, international development cooperation is essential in the current international environment. My country calls on international development partners, including the United Nations, to act in unison as a matter of urgency to ameliorate the social and economic effects of the crisis and help African countries to get back on track towards the implementation of NEPAD and the achievement of the MDGs. The international community, in particular developed countries and international financial institutions, should therefore act to help Africa to make use of all of NEPAD’s capacities and all the commitments made to put an end to poverty and bolster sustainable development in the context of the Partnership as soon as possible, as was called for at the Gleneagles Group of Eight (G-8) Summit. To that end, official development assistance to Africa in 2010 should rise to at least $55 billion in 2004 dollars. Similarly, the promise made by the G-8 at the meeting held in L’Aquila in July 2009, namely, to provide an estimated $20 billion in agricultural assistance to increase investment in that sector in developing countries, and in particular to achieve a green revolution in Africa, must be kept. Algeria would like to reiterate its appreciation for the contributions of numerous partners whose commitment and backing, combined with the efforts of African countries themselves, have made a difference on the ground. That was especially the case with regard to the determined efforts made in the course of the past decade to alleviate the debt of the world’s most heavily indebted developing countries, especially in Africa. The willingness of our development partners since the 2007 G-8 Summit at Heiligendamm to rekindle their interest vis-à-vis partnership with Africa was clearly a promising development, which we very much appreciate, as it seems to us to herald a genuine reactivation of that partnership. In that regard, Algeria welcomes the decision taken in response to the commendable initiative of the Italian presidency of the G-8 to implement the decision taken at the 2008 Hokkaido Summit to effectively reactivate the G-8/Group of Five plus three follow-up mechanism, whose added value in strengthening partnership between the two parties is beyond question. In the consensus document they adopted at the September 2008 high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs and the MDGs (resolution 63/1), heads of State or Government reiterated the importance they attach to the continent’s development. They established a framework and identified the steps to be taken towards the overall goal of contributing to Africa’s development and, in particular, to ensuring the implementation of NEPAD programmes. In addition, they stressed the importance of cooperation to provide ongoing coordinated support to NEPAD to help African countries to mobilize financial resources for the continent’s development. The United Nations system provides the clear goals and road map to that end, which we should support. To that end, we believe that the United Nations system should improve the quality and effectiveness of its programmes and redouble efforts to increase its overall assistance to Africa through advocacy efforts and appropriate financing. We also think that it must of course fully respect the provisions of the political declaration contained in resolution 63/1 related to the establishment, before the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly, of a follow-up mechanism with a mandate to review the implementation of the commitments related to Africa’s development. My delegation shares the Secretary-General’s observation contained in his report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. The establishment of a peaceful environment is an essential element of economic and social development. We are pleased to note that, despite the difficulties referred to in the report, significant progress has been made in the areas of security, democracy, good governance, capacity- building and increased cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations in promoting human rights and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women on the continent. The African Union, in line with the spirit of its Constitutive Act, has devoted itself to combating conflict and political instability in Africa, with a view to making the continent free of conflict during the year 2010. That goal was underscored in the Tripoli declaration on the elimination of conflict and the promotion of sustainable development in Africa, which was adopted in September 2009. Algeria is pleased to note the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture set out in the protocol establishing the African Union Peace and Security Council, as well as that of the Panel of the Wise and the putting in place of the key elements of the African Standby Force and the Continental Early Warning System. The African Union Peace and Security Council and the Panel of the Wise continue to play an important role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts on the continent. We therefore commend the efforts made by the United Nations to cooperate with the African Union in order to strengthen and improve the Union’s peacekeeping capacities. The African Union plays a key role in preventing and mediating numerous conflicts in Africa, as reflected in the outstanding results achieved in such countries as Burundi, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and the Sudan, as well as in the progress made in the search for peace in other countries and areas. That progress has sparked hope and improved prospects for development and rebirth that must now be supported by sustained peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. The African continent is aware of the need to strengthen democratic governance, promote legitimate interests and to respect human rights and the rule of law. To that end, I should like to recall that African countries have made significant efforts to honour their NEPAD commitments, including with regard to health, agriculture, education, information technology, science and technology and, in particular, with regard to establishing the African Peer Review Mechanism, that today comprises 30 African countries, including Algeria. That also illustrates that the continent has made genuine progress in the areas of good governance, respect for human rights and promoting democracy in an atmosphere of cooperation. That underscores how much Africa is committed to sustainable development, peace and human rights as the foundations for progress. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my belief that successfully achieving NEPAD’s goals will not be possible without a plan devised and carried out by African countries. With the continent’s abundant natural and human resources and the commitment of African leaders to achieve those goals, success is possible — so long as NEPAD has the unfailing support of the international community.

I wish to thank the President of the Assembly for convening this important debate. Israel welcomes the Secretary-General’s seventh consolidated progress report on implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/64/204). The report examines policy actions taken by the international community to help African countries meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and implement the New Partnership for Africa’s Development projects and programmes. Today, as the international community addresses development in Africa, one of its major challenges, the world should examine the achievements and challenges that lie ahead. As we strengthen our partnerships in development, so too will we become partners in prosperity. With the stark realities of the financial and economic crises, we must reaffirm — in both word and deed — our commitment to the MDGs and the principles of development and humanity that gave rise to today’s debate. Israel’s long-standing relationship with the region began after the historic visit of then-Foreign Minister of Israel, Golda Meir, in 1958, to the young, independent States of Africa. Since then, Israel has sought to build upon those cooperative relationships across the continent. Only recently, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman visited a number of African countries in order to continue and deepen Israel’s dedication to development. Israel’s international development agency, MASHAV, lies at the heart of our development efforts in Africa. Founded as a modest programme focused on grass-roots-level human capacity-building in Africa only a decade after Israel’s inception, MASHAV has blossomed into an extensive programme that promotes sustainable development, food production, public health programmes and equality throughout the developing world, in particular on the African continent. In addition to bilateral country cooperation, MASHAV is developing new and innovative partnerships. Last year, MASHAV signed, among other things, a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme in Africa, as well as an agreement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Those agreements are integrating the work of MASHAV into the context of African development. Combating HIV/AIDS must continue to be a high global priority. On this matter, Israel has built and maintained cooperation with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNICEF, civil society partners in African countries and private organizations. In this context, Israel will organize a multi-disciplinary training programme on HIV antiretroviral therapy for doctors, nurses and technicians from African countries that will take place in January. While such programmes bring doctors from Africa to Israel, others send teams of specially trained Israeli health professionals and volunteers to work with orphaned HIV-positive children through the use of support programmes and community-based initiatives. Another area of emphasis in the field of health is prenatal and neonatal care. The Tipat Chalav concept — which appropriately means “drop of milk” in Hebrew — offers community-based prenatal and healthy-baby clinics. The Tipat Chalav model is currently being implemented in Kumasi, Ghana, and will have a dramatic impact on rates of infant mortality. Social development is another key aspect of today’s debate. To further enhance such work, this year Israel will assume the chair of the Commission on Population and Development. In this context, MASHAV programmes address the connections among gender, poverty reduction and sustainable development, as well as the need for gender-sensitive policymaking. Harnessing agricultural technology has the power to transform development and hasten growth. In Israel’s case, despite environmental and climatic challenges, we succeeded in making the most unlikely environments — notably the desert — bloom. Technology sharing in this field, along with increased international cooperation, will facilitate greater sustainable development on the African continent. One of Israel’s hallmark projects is the promotion of sustainable agriculture through the widespread use of low-pressure irrigation systems that enable small farmers to establish individual market gardens with their own water-rationing facilities. The project is part of the Techno-agricultural Innovation for Poverty Alleviation programmes. Such efforts also offer better food security to often vulnerable populations. In the area of desertification, Israel has given special emphasis to developing programmes in Africa in accordance with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, including initiatives aimed at dryland development. In coordination with the relevant agricultural and environmental ministries in many African States, we offer our perspective on managing drought, entrepreneurship and livelihoods in desert conditions, as well as soil degradation, among other relevant issues. For this reason, Israel is actively involved in the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and endorsed the recommendations of the seventeenth CSD policy session in 2009, the CSD-17 initiative, “Realizing a Green Revolution in Africa”. Israel welcomes the Secretary-General’s report entitled “Agricultural technology for development” (A/64/258). This year, we are proud to present a follow-up draft resolution to resolution 62/190 on agricultural technology for development. We will work to achieve consensus on this important resolution with the productive and positive engagement of as many States as possible, and with the clear view that Africa will be the main beneficiary of such a resolution. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate my country’s commitment to the ideals enshrined in today’s debate and to reaffirm that we will continue to do our part to contribute to the global human family.

My delegation joins in supporting the worthy statement made this morning by the representative of Tunisia on behalf of the African Group, and we associate ourselves with the statement made by the delegation of the Sudan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, on agenda items 63 (a) and (b). The Republic of the Congo, being one of the countries where malaria is the most severe, would like to focus its statement on agenda item 47, concerning the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (A/64/302). First of all, I would like to thank the President of the Assembly for calling this meeting on that subject. I also take this occasion to express my thanks to the Secretary-General for having made the report available to Member States. My delegation has no doubt that the World Health Organization’s 2009 World Malaria Report, to be published at the end of this month, will shed light on the spread of this terrible affliction and will permit all partners to better appreciate the efforts being made to fight malaria, as well as their impact on health through the end of 2008. In 2000, heads of State and Government in Africa made commitments to roll back malaria. They set noble goals, including achieving 80 per cent coverage in four well-defined areas of intervention, with the corollary of a reduction of at least 50 per cent in malaria cases and mortality between 2000 and 2010, and of at least 75 per cent between 2000 and 2015. The Global Malaria Action Plan took on those same objectives, giving them a global dimension. Information from last year described an increase in coverage in Africa and around the world. It confirmed the impact of combating malaria with increased intervention measures in countries that had had low to moderate malaria rates. Today, as the 2010 deadline approaches, despite the tremendous progress that has been made in combating this scourge, areas of concern remain. These include, in particular, resistance to artemisinin monotherapy, insufficient funding, and weakness in purchasing and supply chains. Malaria affects more than a hundred countries throughout the world. It is the premier cause of mortality and morbidity, especially in Africa, where the disease kills over a million people every year. Moreover, each year it costs the continent more than $12 billion and slows its economic growth by 1.3 per cent. The Republic of the Congo, as I said before, is one of the countries of Africa where malaria is most endemic. The health situation shows a rate of prevalence for malaria of 5.6 per cent, compared with the rates for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, which are 0.4 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively. As we study those disturbing statistics, the urgent need for coming up with innovative, better adapted strategies for fighting malaria in order to contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities becomes clear. Women and children are the most vulnerable targets of all and should be at the heart of such strategies. As a stakeholder in the Abuja Declaration and a member of the International Drug Purchase Facility initiative to help developing countries access treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, my country has made the fight against malaria one of its national priorities within the reference frameworks for action based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Strategy Document on Poverty Reduction and the National Health Development Plan, implemented through the Health Services Development Programme, as well as the private sector Medium-Term Financing Framework, constitute the main pillars of our national strategy. As to the implementation of our national plan to combat malaria, the Government has taken a number of steps, of which the most significant was the free distribution of more than half a million insecticide- treated mosquito nets in October 2007. More recently, the Government instituted last September mother-and- child weeks dedicated to providing vaccination, vitamin A supplements, parasite treatment and the distribution of 470,000 insecticide-treated nets. Since December 2007, the Republic of Congo has invested major resources in ensuring free antimalarial treatment for children up to 15 years of age and their mothers. We are pleased to note that this free treatment, which has so far been used in 1,764,504 cases of simple malaria — almost a third of the population — has reached 100 per cent of our health units. This lifesaving experiment will be gradually extended to more serious cases of malaria and will be part of the effort to ensure universal access to medication. For the Republic of Congo, universal access to medication, especially to the most vulnerable populations, remains a key element in the fight against malaria. With respect to its actions against this scourge, the Government has established a central purchasing agency for buying and supplying health units with essential generic medications and expanding free antimalarial treatment beyond those under 15 years of age to all age levels of the population. However, universal access to medications alone cannot help us roll back malaria and lead to the ultimate solution we all hope for — its eradication, pure and simple. In spite of the Government’s ongoing efforts, the fight against malaria in the Republic of Congo still faces challenges that the national authorities are committed to addressing. We need more vigorous promotion of a public awareness campaign on using treated mosquito nets. Gaps in preventive treatment coverage and the practice of indoor insecticide spraying, as well as insufficient use of labs and rapid diagnostic tests, are also areas that health authorities will need to tackle more vigorously in future. Finally, training health personnel in the correct treatment of malaria is still lacking and is a priority, particularly in capacity-building, both nationally and in the competent subregional bodies. Given this urgency, and the scope of the financial effort required, the commitment of the State is not enough to encompass the extent of the response needed to deal with this disease. The Government therefore intends to develop a partnership with the private sector, particularly as regards prevention. A scourge like malaria obviously demands more significant action and resources, nationally and globally, if we are to reach our goals. According to the report before us, almost two thirds of the funding allocated to combat malaria will go to Africa, which has about 90 per cent of the world’s deaths due to the disease. The same source indicates that $5 billion is needed to achieve the goals set by Roll Back Malaria and the MDGs. At the same time, we fear that the context of the global economic and financial crisis may negatively affect the financing of antimalaria programmes and, furthermore, might compromise progress already made. The effective control of malaria requires interventions on a greater scale, predictable and sustainable financing, and better participation by the communities dealing with the disease, as well as strengthened partnerships on the global, regional and national levels. My delegation, which has always supported initiatives to roll back malaria, fully supports the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report and calls for their positive consideration. This is also the moment to say how grateful we are to our bilateral and multilateral partners involved in this common cause, and to ask them not to abandon their commitments — particularly in difficult periods such as this when multiple crises throughout the world threaten to devour our financial resources — in order that our campaign’s goals will be achieved on time. The Congolese delegation would like to welcome from this rostrum the creation of the Alliance of African Leaders against Malaria, launched on 23 September 2009 on the sidelines of the General Assembly. This initiative shows African leaders’ willingness to stand on the front line of the fight against this scourge. In conclusion, my delegation would like to express at this time its support for a draft resolution on the establishment of a global fund in support of the fight against malaria, initiated by the delegation of Tanzania. It renews the call for a broader, stronger mobilization against this disaster, whose devastating consequences call for more active and dynamic solidarity on the part of the international community.

The Gambia associates itself with the statements made during this debate by Tunisia and Sudan on behalf of the African Group and the Group of 77, respectively. In my turn I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports on the items under discussion. This statement will speak to the progress of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in its implementation and in international support, as well as the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa. NEPAD is the blueprint in which the African leadership articulates its broad vision and takes ownership of the holistic development of the continent. It offers a new, vigorous impulse for our leaders to pull Africa out of stagnation. In his reports, the Secretary- General has highlighted progress made in many of the NEPAD priority areas, such as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, information and communications technology, the environment, and gender equality and women’s empowerment, including the response of the international community in support of NEPAD. Prior to the onslaught of the multiple crises of the last few years, African Governments had gained considerable momentum in terms of socio-economic development, as demonstrated by strong economic growth rates in many countries, improved governance and better policy performance. It is indeed ironic that a continent that possesses sufficient natural resources, including large areas of arable land with diverse agro-ecologic conditions, still finds more than half of its population affected by hunger, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. African agriculture is in crisis, leaving millions of people malnourished. The natural resource endowments of the continent seem, in most cases, to be a curse, rather than a blessing. Against this background, the Gambia calls on the international community to ensure that the resource gap between Africa and the rest of the world is closed. We call for a reversal of the competitive advantages given to the agricultural industries of industrialized countries in the form of subsidies, and support the Secretary-General’s call for the long-overdue conclusion of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations with an outcome that encompasses a development dimension. The commitment made by the World Bank, through the Africa Action Plan, to develop the African private sector, create jobs, enhance exports, expand infrastructure, raise agricultural productivity and strengthen human development is highly encouraging. We therefore call on our partners to continue to invest in infrastructure in order to break down the barriers that hold Africa back. Investment in infrastructure — a precondition for economic growth — is critical to Africa’s sustainable development agenda. Food insecurity, desertification, land degradation and climate change must be halted and reversed through financial support and technology transfer. The international community needs to increase investment in the productive sectors of African economies — and not just in the extractive industries — to allow for rapid economic growth. In this same manner, the private sector in developed countries, as well as in the countries of the South, must be encouraged to take an active role in promoting closer economic ties with African countries for mutual benefit, as well as in the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME). SME development is critical to the generation of economic activity and to long-term sustainability. Given the continued role it can play in the development process, due attention must be devoted to fostering SME in order to encourage entrepreneurship and enterprise development in our countries. In developing countries, SME accounts for approximately three quarters of GDP and just over 60 per cent of employment creation. Due note has been taken of the positive implementation of the human resource development of nurses and midwives — as highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General — through postgraduate programmes, with a view to enhancing their professional skills. However, given the dire impact of the brain drain — in the health sector in particular — a mechanism must be found to halt and reverse the mass exodus of highly trained personnel from African countries to developed countries in search of greener pastures. We therefore welcome the progress that has been made in the implementation of the NEPAD/Spanish Fund for African Women Empowerment, which promotes gender equality and women’s entitlement by providing them with the means to unlock their economic potential, fight poverty and develop small- and medium-sized enterprises, among other things. Malaria inflicts a heavy economic burden on Africa as a whole, and on sub-Saharan Africa in particular, draining the wealth of its nations and households. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria costs Africa $12 billion every year. A poor household can spend up to 34 per cent of its total income on fighting malaria. This state of affairs is not sustainable. However, the Roll Back Malaria Global Strategic Plan 2000-2015 has demonstrated that this trend could be reversed. When the Roll Back Malaria Partnership was established, deaths caused by malaria, particularly in Africa, were at unprecedented levels, and malaria was the “Cinderella of diseases”, receiving little attention from the international community. Without doubt, the past few years have been characterized by success in the malaria sector, both as it concerns Roll Back Malaria partners and the Partnership as a whole. The campaign gained further momentum, new partners joined the effort, significant resources were mobilized and ambitious goals and plans set. Fresh tools to prevent and treat the devastating disease are now available and efforts are being made to make these affordable, though there is need for additional resources to accelerate treatment. Some 108 countries are now free of malaria, and more countries in Africa have registered significant success in the fight against the disease, having attained WHO morbidity and mortality targets. However, we must heed the warning not to underestimate the problem or overstate the successes. Our leaders have been fully engaged in the fight against malaria. The Abuja Declaration to Roll Back Malaria in Africa, the recently launched African Leaders Malaria Alliance and the heroic steps being made towards the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals relating to health are clear testimony of their resolve and commitment. In spite of these efforts, much more remains to be done. Notwithstanding my previous remarks, the global financial and economic crisis is expected, in all likelihood, to put pressure on resources and threaten the attainment of the ambitious goals of universal coverage by 2010 and zero deaths by 2015. This will require strong progress at the country level, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We therefore urge the Partnership and the international community as a whole to make special efforts to assist countries that do not yet have well-mobilized and well-supported partnerships on track to help them meet their targets. More emphasis should be placed on at-risk groups such as children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. In conclusion, the Gambia wishes to place on record its appreciation for the concerted efforts made in the fight against malaria by the international community through the work of organizations such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Malaria Initiative of the President of the United States, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and the International Drug Purchase Facility. We call on all concerned to redouble their efforts to bring about the total eradication of the disease by 2015.

The delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would like to extend its thanks to the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General for their efforts in convening this meeting on agenda items 63 (a) and (b) and 47, concerning the development of Africa and the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in the Developing Countries, Particularly if Africa. Supporting development, both regionally and internationally, is one of the most important goals of the Kingdom. The invitation by the Secretary-General to achieve development in Africa comes as the world faces a set of difficult circumstances, including the economic crisis which is directly affecting the economies of African States and development in their continent. For so long now, the African continent has suffered from socio-economic problems such as poverty, unemployment and poor health care, all of which calls for joint action to achieve development and end the suffering of the peoples of those States. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributes annually to such development programmes as the African Development Bank (ADB), to which it has contributed $25 million. That contribution will be drawn on over five years. The Kingdom is a member State of the ADB Group and is among the States supporting the African Development Fund and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. The Kingdom has doubled its contributions to renew the resources of the International Fund for Agricultural Development in the amount of $50 million. In the field of combating AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the Kingdom has announced a 2008-2010 contribution of $18 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria — $6 million per year; $10 million has already been paid to the Fund. Although Saudi Arabia is a developing country that is witnessing considerable population growth with the attendant increasing financial requirements to cover its human development, basic infrastructure and capacity-building, it supports and assists other, needier countries in a manner that far exceeds the internationally suggested ratios. Reports issued by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs state that Saudi Arabia was in the forefront of countries contributing to humanitarian relief operations in 2008. It contributed $1 billion to the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development and has made contributions to 18 other financial and international institutions. It has also extended concessional loans and unreimbursable assistance amounting $100 billion, from which 95 developing States have benefited. This represents 4 per cent of the Kingdom’s gross national product, a ratio far higher than the United Nations target. Proceeding from the interest of the Servant of the Two Holy Shrines to spread education as widely as possible, Saudi Arabia is earmarking $500 million for education projects in developing countries. In the field of debt relief, the Kingdom has forgiven more than $6 billion owed to it by poor countries. It has also contributed its full share to the International Monetary Fund debt relief fund. Once again, we call upon the industrial countries to fulfil their obligations, in the form of direct assistance or relief on debts owed to them by the needier States, or by opening their markets to developing country exports without unjustifiable restrictions. The effective role undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its direct presence and its effective initiatives in the field of humanitarian and relief work in areas affected by natural and environmental disasters worldwide makes it one of the States providing the most relief to the disadvantaged and the afflicted. It has carried out concrete relief projects for many States hit by war and disaster. The Kingdom is always responsive to the issues and crises of the world in support of the disadvantaged anywhere and at any time. In this context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes geographical diversity into consideration in the distribution of such assistance, which has reached a great number of States in many parts of the developing world. By the end of 2008, the Saudi Fund for Development had extended concessional loans to finance 73 economic and development projects in developing countries, 42 of which are in Africa. Saudi Arabia is one of the principal contributors to the OPEC Fund for International Development to finance projects in 48 States in Africa, including projects related to agriculture, industry, education, energy, health care, potable water, communications and transportation. We also contribute to the regional and international funds that channel most concessional loans to Africa. In conclusion, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is eager to support the efforts of NEPAD and to meet its international obligations towards the African continent, in order to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development there.

At the outset, I would like to commend the Secretary-General for his in-depth review of the current situation in Africa. Ghana aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of the Sudan and Tunisia on behalf of the Group of African States and the Group of 77 and China, respectively. It is a matter of great concern to my delegation that the very modest and hard-earned progress of the past few years is being severely undermined by a combination of internal factors and external forces. The ongoing financial and economic crisis coupled with high food and energy prices and chronic shortages, as well as climate change, have all had a very negative impact on economic growth, agricultural development, poverty eradication and overall human development. No doubt, these trends have thrown into doubt the noble aspirations of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the high hopes for an African renaissance that greeted the programme in Africa and beyond when it was first launched by African leaders in July 2001 and formally endorsed by the General Assembly in September 2002 (see resolution 57/2). Africa cannot afford another lost decade. The stakes are just too high. We already have a consensus on the path forward. That has been clearly set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, we must move quickly and urgently to fulfil all outstanding commitments especially in the areas of sustainable economic growth, human development, governance and security, official development assistance, debt relief, trade liberalization and aid for trade. There is ample evidence that whenever African leaders and their development partners have acted with determination and common purpose the results have been outstanding. There are now fewer civil wars and more democratic countries than ever before. Let me hasten to add that even one civil war is a war too many, as it costs lives, brings about displacement, the destruction of property and lost opportunities for development — all of which exacerbate human misery. Nonetheless, in general terms, we have been greatly encouraged by the real progress in economic growth and private sector development, primary education, women’s rights and the fight against poverty and diseases. No less significant is the steady progress towards greater accountability and better economic management. To date, 29 countries have voluntarily acceded to NEPAD’s African Peer Review Mechanism, and 15 have already launched reviews. The growing role of civil society in many countries is also a great sign of progress, and citizens are increasingly holding Governments accountable for their actions. There have also been some positive developments in Africa’s health sector. Heads of State or Government endorsed the Africa Health Strategy for the period 2007-2015, which aims to strengthen the quality and coverage of the continent’s health systems. The World Health Organization has launched an effort to maximize positive synergies between global health initiatives, such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and national health systems. Many African countries have significantly reduced their AIDS prevalence rates, and a growing number of Africans living with the virus are undergoing antiretroviral treatment. Two thirds of African countries have adopted policies that include the use of drugs that are effective against malaria. Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia have achieved particularly impressive reductions in malaria-related mortalities. We believe we can still build on those positive trends towards less conflict, more democracy and greater development if we continue to cooperate and act with a common purpose. At the same time, we accept the fact that, ultimately, the responsibility for driving progress rests with African leaders. Their task is not easy, given capacity constraints and the many challenges they face. What Africa seeks, above all, is partnership and mutual accountability, whether in governmental or corporate endeavours. Donors must honour their commitments; trading partners and corporations must honour their social responsibilities, respect human rights and ensure environmental standards. With the right support, Africa can also contribute solutions to global problems. Its vast human and economic potential, natural resources and sources of clean energy offer highly attractive investment opportunities that can be exploited to benefit, not just Africa, but also the rest of the world. If that is to be achieved, Africa needs a stronger voice on the international stage, in the multilateral architecture and in key decision-making forums — whether the Group of Eight (G-8), the Group of 20 or trade or climate change negotiations — in order to attract the political, financial and technical support required. Enormous challenges remain in several key sectors. Africa’s health systems remain underfunded, understaffed and ill equipped. Africa also continues to have the largest number of armed conflicts, and approximately one fifth of the continent’s population still lives in conflict zones. But there have been a number of positive developments over the past few years. The availability of infrastructure is critical to the development of Africa’s private sector, including a reliable supply of energy and safe roads to connect farmers to markets. Strategies to respond to those needs should be developed in parallel with efforts in the field of water access and sanitation. Infrastructure is currently a key constraint on Africa’s enterprise development. Africa has enormous potential for energy production from renewable sources — solar, hydro, wind, nuclear and geothermal. Almost all sub-Saharan African countries have sufficient renewable resources that can be exploited with modern technologies to satisfy current energy demand. Studies show that daily average solar radiation levels in Africa are very high, and the continent could be the world’s future solar super-power. The potential for development in Africa’s real economy is huge, particularly in the infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and telecommunications sectors. Greater investment in those sectors would create not only jobs in Africa, but also markets for developed countries. Africa can provide a valuable growth platform for the global economy and pioneer clean development models that contribute to global efforts to manage climate change. It is encouraging that a number of developed countries — including the members of the G-8 — have, in recent times, emphasized the urgency of concluding the Doha Development Round. While pressing for the conclusion of the Doha Round, it is critical that we rethink trade policy in order to boost agricultural production around the world. Policies for fertilizer markets should provide the response needed to address shortages in food production, while policies on grain storage and buffer stocks must also be taken seriously. Promises on aid for trade must be honoured. The unique development experiences of emerging economies, such as those of China, Brazil and India, are relevant to the situation of African countries and should serve as a model for international cooperation if the continent is to realize its full potential for sustained economic growth and accelerated development.

My delegation is pleased to participate in this debate on issues related to development in Africa in the light of the excellent reports submitted by the Secretary- General. Those reports paint a clear picture of the challenges facing our continent and contain recommendations on ways likely to help Africa find its way back to the path of peace and development. In addition to associating itself with the statements made by the representative of the Sudan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by the representative of Tunisia on behalf of the Group of African States, my delegation would like to share the following comments with the Assembly. Data published by various international institutions show that Africa is the continent most affected by the successive food and energy crises and, most recently, the financial crisis, which swiftly became an economic crisis. Those crises arose at a time when African countries had been engaged in bold political and economic reform efforts that had allowed the continent to make significant progress towards attaining its objectives both in terms of development and in such areas as democracy, human rights protection and the implementation of sustainable economic policies. The economic forecasts for Africa predicting a 2009 growth rate of less than 3 per cent — perhaps even 2 per cent — remain much lower than the 7 per cent annual rate considered necessary for the continent to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 deadline. In addition, over the past few years, despite the changes in the international economic context — which has, unfortunately, become very unfavourable — African countries have continued and even stepped up their efforts to improve the well-being of their populations. Unfortunately, those sincere and committed efforts by African countries have not been supported as they should have been and have suffered from a lack of the substantial resources needed for their success. It is becoming increasingly clear that the combined effects of successive crises have made implementing the MDGs on our African continent more difficult by slowing the pace of their achievement as 2015 approaches. Thus, millions of people living in Africa could sink into poverty and destitution. In the area of health, despite the progress made thanks to the efforts of African countries and their development partners, HIV/AIDS and malaria remain major challenges for the continent that could undermine its development process. The recent crises and their effects on African economies have only aggravated their health and social situation, thereby further reducing the chances that the health-related MDGs will be achieved. Even the official development assistance provided to Africa before the crisis was mostly below the $70 billion per year considered necessary for the continent to attain its development objectives. We hope that the renewal by the Group of 20 and the Group of Eight of their commitments regarding Africa will be diligently and fully implemented. At the same time, if the African continent is to assume ownership over its development process, it is also necessary to help African countries establish an atmosphere conducive to foreign direct investment so that they can address weak infrastructures, which continue to heavily overshadow Africa’s attractiveness in terms of investment. As economic and social development depends on conflict settlement and peacebuilding, the Kingdom of Morocco welcomes our continent’s increasingly steadfast commitment to promoting the settlement of persistent conflicts. My country continues to provide assistance on several fronts, in particular through its participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations deployed in Africa and in the Peacebuilding Commission. Morocco has always been convinced of the advantages and merits of South-South cooperation in promoting the social and economic development of our continent. Of course, that in no way detracts from the valuable contribution of North-South cooperation. In line with that conviction, my country has always worked, under the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to strengthen partnership ties with its African family in the context of fruitful and mutually beneficial South-South cooperation, based on human development and experience sharing. As evidence of that commitment, Morocco has initiated several partnership and cooperation programmes with African countries in areas as diverse as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, transport, telecommunications and the training and development of African management abilities. Also as proof of its solidarity, in particular with Africa’s least developed countries, my country took the initiative a few years ago to cancel their bilateral debt to grant them quota- and duty-free access to the Moroccan market. Africa remains among the continents suffering most from the negative effects of climate change. In fact, our continent is threatened today more than ever by rising sea levels, which could affect 30 per cent of its coastal infrastructure. The increase in average temperatures in Africa, consecutive droughts and scarce precipitation could pose a huge threat to African agriculture, which accounts for exactly 55 per cent of all exports and which feeds 70 per cent of the African population. In that context, the results of the Copenhagen negotiations on climate change must take due consideration of the concerns of our continent, not only in terms of economic growth, but also in terms of human and social development, resource mobilization and technology transfer. The African continent also continues to draw least benefits from international exchanges. African countries still encounter difficulties in participating effectively in international trade, despite the efforts that they have agreed to in order to open up their economies and to implement freer trade. The conclusion of the World Trade Organization negotiations in the Doha Round, which, let us be clear, is described as a development round, should be accomplished in such a way that it takes into consideration the concerns of African countries with regard to development. The international community has held, or is preparing to organize in the coming months, a series of very significant international meetings to deal with various development issues. Be it through the World Summit on Food Security, the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation or the High- level Dialogue on Financing for Development, the international community as a whole is urged to make a commitment to the development of Africa. That commitment must translate into specific measures, in particular mobilization of the resources needed to implement them, so that achieving the Millennium Development Goals can at last become a reality in Africa. In conclusion, my country remains convinced that it is necessary to establish a true global partnership for Africa’s development, which continues to be the only way to help our continent to achieve its development goals and to give hope to millions of African people and the clear message that they can live in dignity, protected from poverty and pandemics.

At the outset, allow me to express my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to the President on his election. My delegation assures him of its support for the successful execution of his mandate. Zambia associates itself with the statements of the representatives of the Sudan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and of Tunisia, on behalf of the African Group. We are grateful for the report of the Secretary- General entitled “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa”, contained in document A/64/302. My delegation is of the view that the challenges that the world faces today, such as (H1N1) influenza, avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome and HIV/AIDS, call for more unity and concerted efforts among nations, aimed at the early sharing of concerns, the mobilization of resources and the collective implementation of evidence-based interventions. I am pleased to state that Zambia is making steady progress in meeting its national health goals, as well as the internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals. Allow me to refer to our country’s 2007 demographic and health survey, which covers a period of five years. It is worth noting that a number of important basic health indicators have improved in Zambia. Notable among these is the fact that 70 per cent of our children receive all the required immunizations. Partly as a consequence of that, the under-five mortality rate has dropped from 168 to 119 deaths per 1,000 live births. In addition, the maternal mortality ratio has improved from 729 to 591 per 100,000 live births; the infant mortality rate has improved from 90 to 70 per 1,000 live births; protection from malaria has increased countrywide for those under five years of age and for pregnant women; the incidence rates of malaria have dropped and the number of deaths recorded at our health facilities from the disease has dropped by 60 per cent; and the prevalence of HIV has decreased from 16 to 14.3 per cent. Zambia is threatened with the loss, or even the reversal, of those encouraging gains because of the prevailing global financial and economic crisis, as well as the withholding of pledged resources by some of our cooperating partners in the health sector. However, we are encouraged by the words of the President of the Republic of Rwanda, His Excellency Mr. Paul Kagame, who, in his speech this year at the fifty-ninth session of the World Health Organization’s Regional Committee for Africa, said that with self-reliance, the reprioritization of our health action plans, a conscious emphasis on primary health care and the use of local resources, as well as low-cost effective interventions, we can indeed attain the MDGs. Zambia is the current Chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board. Noting that malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, not only in Zambia, but in many other parts of the world, allow me to place special emphasis on that global health challenge. The good news is that Zambia is indeed one of the countries to have achieved universal coverage of preventive interventions against malaria. By universal coverage, we mean the ownership and the use of commodities intended to keep malaria away from Zambian communities by the communities themselves. I am pleased to note that other countries have also achieved universal coverage. In that regard, I must acknowledge the role played by Minister Tewodros Adhanom, the former Chairman of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board, who is now Chairman of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the Minister of Health of Ethiopia. Mr. Adhanom worked very hard as the Chairman of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board. During his term in office, all the funds required to meet the 2010 Roll Back Malaria targets were mobilized. He also worked very hard to ensure that a road map for each country to achieve the 2010 Roll Back Malaria targets was put in place. Indeed, he left the Roll Back Malaria Partnership with the strength needed to take on the remaining challenges. I salute him greatly and wish him well at the Global Fund. It is truly encouraging that we now have resources to protect about 460 million of the approximately 500 million African people who have been targeted. It is also pleasing that country-specific road maps are already in place for the attainment of the desired universal coverage. What we now need is the requisite political will to assure all of us of the required leadership for success. We have only 15 months to do this work. By 31 December 2010, we should all be able to celebrate having met our set targets. For the many that have yet to reach the target, there is still a lot of work to do. Nonetheless, for the few that have already reached their targets, the challenge remaining is that of maintaining these gains. My delegation is pleased to report that, over the past six years, Zambia has recorded impressive gains in the health sector. The 2007 Zambia demographic and health survey I mentioned earlier attests to this. Those gains are evidence of the realization of the pledge that our Government has made in the fifth National Development Plan to secure the health of Zambians by addressing public health challenges such as malaria. It ought to be mentioned that judicious malaria control in Zambia — in particular, that undertaken by the Ministry of Health — was a significant contributor to those remarkable achievements. Further, it is pleasing to note — and worth mentioning — that in some areas of Zambia such as the Southern Province, which has a population of more than 2 million people, malaria is no longer a major public health concern. The Ministry of Health in Zambia is succeeding in addressing malaria as a public health challenge through the simultaneous and diligent implementation of a package of evidence-based interventions. The first is indoor residual house spraying. Zambia’s indoor residual house spraying programme, which was originally implemented in five districts in 2003, is now being implemented in 36 districts — half of the districts in the country. That progress is indeed remarkable, especially considering that, combined with the coverage of insecticide-treated nets, Zambia has achieved the Roll Back Malaria goal of ensuring 80 per cent coverage of the population with malaria preventative measures. The second intervention is insecticide-treated bednets. Since 2004, the Ministry of Health has distributed over 6 million such nets across the country. Country-wide coverage of insecticide-treated bednets is now approximately 60 per cent. The third is case management and diagnosis. The Ministry of Health has ensured the availability of malaria treatment medicines and diagnostic tools in all public health facilities. Measures have been put in place to minimize drug stock-outs. There are adequate stocks of the requisite antimalarials at our central distribution facility, the Medical Stores Limited. Improved logistical management has also been of benefit, as has intermittent presumptive treatment — a measure with which we have performed extremely well. The proportion of pregnant women accessing malaria preventive treatment has increased. The 2007 demographic and health survey revealed that the percentage of pregnant women who took an anti-malarial drug during pregnancy increased from 35 per cent in 2002 to 86.5 per cent in 2007. The 2008 malaria indicator survey revealed similar results. These successes have been the consequence of a number of factors. These include political will, simultaneous use of evidence-based interventions, partnerships involving our Government and cooperating partners in the health sector, and community mobilization and participation. I should like to mention some of the challenges that still remain. First, we anticipate covering approximately 1.2 million household structures across the country with indoor residual house spraying, which translates into protection from malaria for over 7 million people. This requires resources, both financial and material, which are limited. Secondly, it is worth mentioning that, when pledges of support are made, they must be honoured — and aid should not be used as a tool for coercion. Thirdly, with regard to irrational drug use — while it is noted that not every case of fever is caused by malaria, fostering acceptance among health workers that rapid diagnostic test kits are reliable remains a challenge. Fourthly, community security and distribution requires further strengthening. In conclusion, I should like to mention that the Government of the Republic of Zambia is very grateful to all its cooperating partners at the local, regional and global levels for their support. It is our conviction that, with informed interventions, healthy partnerships and dedication to duty, we shall in no time rid Zambia and the rest of the world of malaria.

It was truly heartening to listen to the speaker before me, the representative of Zambia, and I must commend that country for its achievements in pursuing the health-related Millennium Development Goals in particular. As a friend and partner, Norway continues to support the vision and goals of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which is a genuinely African initiative. NEPAD demonstrates a willingness and determination to fight poverty on the continent and to strengthen the integration of Africa into the global economy. NEPAD also represents a recognition that African countries need to reinforce cooperation among themselves in order to effectively address many of the common challenges. Africa has been hit hard by the recent food and economic crises. Moreover, a climate crisis is looming. However, those challenges should not let us lose sight of the significant progress Africa has seen during the past decade, which includes unprecedented economic growth and improvements in governance. NEPAD has been part of that development. I should like to address a few key issues that NEPAD will face in the years to come. How should the resources to finance the goals and objectives of NEPAD be mobilized? The primary responsibility rests with African nations themselves. Traditional aid should primarily be a supplement and catalyst. We welcome the progress made in mobilizing those domestic resources. That said, Africa still needs substantial assistance. Commitments to increase aid must be honoured. Too little attention has been given to the big money flowing out of Africa. Illicit capital flows from poor countries amount to hundreds of billions of dollars annually; that is around three times the level of aid going into Africa. A lack of transparency and the inability to control capital flows have resulted in huge amounts evading developing countries’ tax collectors. Proceeds from crime and corruption move almost freely from poor countries to safe havens, which are often in rich and middle-income countries. That is also why international cooperation to fight illicit capital flight and tax havens must be strengthened and made effective. And Africa should be assisted in establishing better tax systems and broadening the tax base. NEPAD has contributed to giving infrastructure development higher priority in the fight against poverty in Africa. We welcome that. Africa is facing an energy deficit that may severely hamper development if the power-generating capacity is not substantially increased. Energy is a sector particularly well suited for regional cooperation. The potential for clean energy in Africa is enormous, with about 93 per cent of Africa’s hydropower potential still undeveloped. Hydropower is clean and renewable energy, but the required investments are often of such a magnitude that aid can cover only a minor share. There is a need to involve the private sector to attract the required financing, technology and knowledge. That requires good governance, robust institutions, technical capacity and a favourable investment climate. We believe that those challenges could be more forcefully addressed within the context of NEPAD. A few weeks ago, Uganda saw the inauguration of the first significant hydropower plant to be built in Africa in 14 years. It is a joint Norwegian-Ugandan project involving Norwegian private and public finance and expertise — TrønderEnergi and Norfund. The plant will increase Uganda’s electricity production by 7 per cent. I believe we can and should see more such success stories that will bring growth and prosperity to the people of Africa. The world has indeed changed since 2001. A clear example that the NEPAD framework was drafted in a different context than today is the modest attention paid to climate change in that document. Africa is joining forces in the run-up to Copenhagen. One among many commendable steps is the Climate for Development in Africa Programme, a joint initiative by the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank aiming at integrating climate risk management into policy and decision processes throughout Africa. We look forward to learning more about what role African countries see for NEPAD in terms of adaptation to climate change in Africa. We all know that war and armed conflicts are major factors in undermining development. No other continent has suffered more from armed conflicts than Africa in recent decades. Many of the conflicts that ravaged the continent during the 1980s and 1990s have since been brought to an end, and we have seen that some of the countries emerging from conflicts in recent years have achieved remarkable growth and development. It is important to highlight the role of women in achieving peaceful, sustainable development. This fall we have seen a renewed global commitment not only to the protection of women in conflict, but to highlighting that women are part of the solution in situations of conflict. We need to renew our efforts to promote women’s rights and their participation in democratic processes. One glance at this year’s Human Development Report says it clearly: there is a strong correlation between the level of gender equality and the growth and prosperity of countries. So the greatest gains countries can achieve, economically and politically, come from empowering women, ensuring equal opportunity and health care and increasing the participation of women in economic activity. That is not only the right thing to do from a human and ethical perspective; it is hard- core macro-economic policy. Empowering women gives competitive advantage. Improving women’s educational opportunity gives competitive advantage. Countries that recognize that and adjust their policies are going to prosper more than others. We must strive to uphold the pledges that we have previously made with regard to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and create the necessary conditions for sustainable growth and development. That will be the most significant contribution we can make towards peace and stability on the African continent. Norway is committed to a long-term partnership with Africa and its people. Two weeks ago Norway presented its aid budget for 2010. In it we pledge to give 1.09 per cent of our estimated gross national income for development assistance. We will remain at that high level for many years to come. Even though we face a financial crisis, we increased the aid budget by 4 per cent as a token of solidarity with those who are less fortunate than ourselves, and thus we will remain a partner for Africa.

The Philippines aligns itself with the statement by the representative of the Sudan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. However, there are some elements that we wish to stress. Let me start with agenda items relating to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The story of Africa’s development has been a priority of the General Assembly for quite some time. It is a tale of a rich continent that paradoxically finds itself struggling to provide an adequate standard of living to its teeming millions. All of us in this Hall are acutely aware of the promise and potential of the countries and people of Africa, and we must constantly strive to provide the necessary support for NEPAD. The Secretary-General’s twin reports on NEPAD — A/64/204 and A/64/208 — show that up to the time in 2008 when the global financial and economic crisis struck most of the world, Africa was pursuing a deliberate path to growth. However, the combination of food and energy price volatility, the turmoil in financial and economic markets and the increasingly devastating effects of climate change has conspired with a waning international commitment to provide much-needed financial and technical resources to derail Africa’s march towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), among other internationally agreed development goals. There are two upcoming important United Nations events on development-related issues that must address NEPAD in their discussions. The first is the High-level Conference on South-South Cooperation to be held, appropriately, in Nairobi this December. The second is the summit to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals to be held in New York in 2010. The Assembly President has already set the process of discussions on those two major meetings in motion by selecting co-facilitators to guide the process forward. United Nations discussions about the several crises I mentioned earlier are proceeding apace. The Outcome of the Conference on the World Economic and Financial Crisis and Its Impact on Development (resolution 63/303, annex) outlined several recommendations that we are taking forward. The United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination is also pursuing nine joint crisis initiatives meant to address the global financial and economic crisis in much the same way that the Comprehensive Framework for Action drawn up by the High-level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis provided short-, medium- and long-term recommendations for consideration and implementation. The Economic and Social Council, together with its subsidiary bodies, is likewise seized on many of the same development issues and is actively pursuing discussions in order to come up with recommendations to be brought to the General Assembly in due time. All of those avenues for discussion and action can and should remember to consider the needs of the most vulnerable — which includes Africa — in drawing up recommendations. Let me now proceed to agenda item 47, entitled “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa”, and the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report prepared by the World Health Organization (A/64/302). The report and its summary set out many promising trends and indications of progress in the global effort to fight malaria. It is fitting that an assessment of the world malaria condition is being made at this juncture, since the extent to which malaria is controlled and eliminated determines how much we are progressing towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 6: to combat those deadly diseases that have the broadest and starkest impact on development. The H1N1 influenza was recently added to those diseases. Time is running fast towards the 2015 deadline for the MDGs. Our journey towards it is diverted by other crises of every kind, for which summits have been convened. The Government of the Philippines gives priority to the control and eradication of malaria, as it continues to be among the top 10 causes of morbidity in the country. Most locations in the Philippines where malaria is endemic are in the poorest and most remote areas, with a high percentage of indigenous peoples. Malaria control and eradication efforts in the Philippines have been scaled up through a five-pronged strategy that emphasizes working with local government health units. The strategy includes: first, raising political awareness and promoting community involvement, especially at the local level; second, strengthening diagnosis, promptly and effectively treating malaria and expanding the availability of drug supplies in all health-care facilities; third, streamlining referrals of severe cases, including through training doctors on the management of such cases, training health workers on treatment policies and protecting mothers by providing nets treated with insecticide; fourth, building buffer stockpiles of essential supplies for malaria and dengue; and, fifth, promoting operational research to improve the delivery of services to internally displaced families, indigenous communities and schoolchildren. As a result of those efforts, malaria cases in the Philippines have consistently been declining — from more than 76,000 cases with 150 deaths reported in 1990 to 33,800 cases with 89 deaths in 2006. In order to facilitate programme management and inculcate health-seeking behaviour among the Filipino population, especially the high-risk population, the Philippine Government declared that November every year would be Malaria Awareness Month. That initiative bands together various Government agencies, such as the Departments of Health, of Interior and Local Government, of Education, of National Defence and of Tourism, all local government units — the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays — and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, synergizing the mandate of each for the prevention and the elimination of malaria in the Philippines. While it is very heartening that global funds made available for malaria have substantially increased — from less than $0.2 billion in 2000 to $2 billion at the end of 2008 — it is disconcerting to note that significant sources of funding come from only a few large external contributors. That means that without a good number and diversity of funding sources, there is a risk that antimalaria efforts will be jeopardized if any of those major sources dries up. We therefore advocate a diverse portfolio of global funding for malaria in order to ensure the sustainability and to lessen the vulnerability of antimalaria efforts, particularly in developing countries. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the Roll Back Malaria project, offer major assistance to the Philippine fight against the disease. Notwithstanding the fact that a significant portion of our antimalaria efforts is funded from external sources, the Philippine Government, driven by its commitment to a malaria-free Philippines by 2020, increased its malaria control budget from 3.4 million pesos in 2001 to 60 million pesos in 2008, representing a 2,000 per cent increase in funding in the national budget to fight malaria. We can see some emerging challenges in the fight against malaria. The global economic and financial crises threaten current and prospective funding for health programmes, including international health assistance. Global warming increases the incidence of climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria. Those challenges only underscore that international cooperation to rid the world of malaria will require continued and enhanced cooperation on other related issues, such as financial and economic downturns of a regional or international nature and climate change. The General Assembly, as the biggest parliament of nations, must focus on the findings of the World Health Organization that while there has been remarkable progress in malaria control, these potential threats demand increased attention: first, resistance to insecticides and antimalarial medicines and the lack of alternatives; second, insufficient funding to reach universal coverage; and third, weakness in global and intranational purchasing and supply, resulting in shortages of key commodities at the national and health facility levels.

One of the key priorities of Brazil’s foreign policy is strengthening cooperation with Africa, land of the forefathers of a significant part of the Brazilian people. For that purpose Brazil has established a network of embassies in the African continent. Today, we are present in 34 African countries through resident embassies, including in Addis Ababa, the headquarters of the African Union. Brazil has also been one of the mentors and main supporters of the Africa-South America summits, the second of which took place less than a month ago in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. South America and Africa are building a bridge of dialogue and cooperation. Our common efforts have resulted in a significant increase of South American-African trade, from $6 billion to $36 billion in the last six years. As an Africa-owned and Africa-driven blueprint for development, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) can count on Brazil’s full support. Our approach to NEPAD is that of a call for a partnership with Africa, rather than a partnership for Africa. Brazil believes in cooperation as a tool of technical and technological emancipation and as a conduit for sharing successful experiences in the fields of health, energy and, in particular, agriculture. Our cooperation with Africa is consistent with NEPAD’s focus on agriculture as a means to wealth generation and poverty alleviation. The Brazilian Agriculture and Husbandry Research Company opened an office in Accra through which it is cooperating with various African countries. To take that cooperation even further, Brazil will host a meeting of ministers of agriculture next year. We believe in the African potential for the production of biofuels. Brazil’s experience in that area has made possible the development of one of the cleanest sources of energy, sure to be in growing demand in the years to come, without endangering the food supply and food security. Brazil is aware of the impact of the global economic and financial crisis on African countries. We praise their efforts to tackle economic hardship, which is aggravated by a global financial disarray for which they cannot be held responsible. Those efforts have to be supported. It is important that the international financial institutions be able to provide countries most in need with more liquidity and credit that are subject to less conditionalities. Brazil is working towards this aim in the Group of 20, together with other developing countries. The Secretary-General’s note on the Decade to Roll Back Malaria (A/64/302) gives us an updated picture of how different countries are faring in the fight to control and eradicate this serious tropical disease. Brazil is committed to the international fight against malaria through bilateral cooperation and participation in multilateral efforts. Our engagement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership reflects this commitment. The international community has made remarkable progress in the past few years in pursuit of the goals of achieving universal coverage of malaria prevention and treatment by December 2010 and reducing global malaria deaths by 50 per cent from the 2000 levels and to near zero preventable deaths by 2015. It is not acceptable that children continue to die from preventable diseases. Besides expanding the use of insecticide-treated nets, it is imperative that adequate mechanisms be put in place to ensure access to drugs for malaria treatment if we are to avoid preventable deaths and eliminate this scourge.

I thank President Treki for convening this joint debate on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa. I will address each item in turn. First, NEPAD continues to provide an important framework for addressing the critical challenges facing the African continent. In his address to a meeting of African Union foreign ministers in Addis Ababa in February this year, the Australian Foreign Minister identified three priority areas for Australian engagement with African countries: first, support for African efforts to promote economic growth and prosperity through investment and trade; secondly, support to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; and thirdly, support to address peace and security challenges in Africa. These priorities are consistent with the objectives of NEPAD. In the past year, Australia has increased its development assistance to Africa by 40 per cent. The Australian Government believes that it can assist African countries with their long-term development in areas where our expertise and experience can make a unique and positive contribution. To this end, Australia is deepening its development cooperation engagement with Africa through three sectoral programmes: food security and agriculture, water and sanitation, and maternal and child health. Furthermore, the Australian Government sees education as a key to assisting to Africa to realize its economic and social development potential. We are expanding our scholarships programme in Africa through short courses and fellowships and capacity- building partnerships facilities. These facilities will focus on priority areas, including mining and natural resource management, agriculture and public sector reform, and will be flexible to respond to requests from African Governments. Finally, on this item Australia shares the Secretary-General’s frustration with the ongoing Doha Round of trade negotiations. We join the Secretary- General in calling for a conclusion to the Doha Round. Australia is pursuing an outcome that is for the good of development, for the good of agricultural trade reform and for the good of multilateral trading regimes. The early conclusion of the Doha Round will also be a significant economic stimulus at a time when the world’s economy has faced its greatest threat since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Turning to the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, I would like to thank the World Health Organization for its report on this item (see A/64/302, annex). Malaria has a serious economic as well as human impact on Africa. It fuels the cycle of poverty, afflicting primarily the poor, who tend to live in malaria-prone rural areas in poorly constructed dwellings that offer few if any barriers against mosquitoes. It is an unacceptable tragedy that the disease accounts for nearly one in five childhood deaths in Africa. In the Asia-Pacific region, malaria also causes significant morbidity and mortality. Over 60 per cent of malaria cases outside of Africa occur in the Asia- Pacific region; a high proportion of these cases are vivax malaria, for which the clinical tools required for diagnosis and management are less well developed. It is important to recognize that malaria is a global issue. Australia is playing a leading role in addressing malaria in the Asia-Pacific region. Through the Pacific Malaria Initiative, Australia is providing targeted technical and management support to assist Governments to implement their national malaria action plans. The Initiative is already making impressive progress. In Solomon Islands, the malaria incidence rate has been reduced from 199 malaria cases per 1,000 people in 2003 to 82 cases per 1,000 in 2008. In Vanuatu, the rate has been reduced from 74 malaria cases per 1,000 in 2003 to 14 cases in 2008. The Initiative has highlighted the importance of working within partner Government systems, of strong political leadership and of providing appropriate technical expertise. Australia was also pleased to host the inaugural meeting of the Asia-Pacific Malaria Elimination Network in February 2009. The Network was established to bring attention to the work of malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to a quarter of the countries in the world that have embarked on this elimination. It represents another means of strengthening the technologies, skills, systems and leadership that are needed to reduce and eventually eliminate this disease in the Asia-Pacific region.

Allow me to congratulate the President and the members of the Bureau on their election to conduct our work during this session and to reassure them of my delegation’s support for the successful conclusion of our work. My delegation fully aligns itself with the statements made by the Permanent Representative of the Sudan and the Permanent Representative of Tunisia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, respectively. Given the importance my delegation attaches to the respective agenda items, we would like, however, to make a few pertinent comments from a national perspective. We join others in thanking the Secretary-General for his comprehensive and forward-looking reports (A/64/204, A/64/208 and A/64/210). My delegation further wishes to express its appreciation to the Special Adviser on Africa, Under-Secretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra, and his dedicated team for their advisory and advocacy work in promoting Africa’s development agenda. We are reviewing various reports on the progress of implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development; the political declaration on Africa’s development needs, adopted 22 September 2008 (resolution 63/1); the 1998 recommendations on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa; and the Roll Back Malaria programme, at a very crucial moment in the global economic architecture. Clearly, the entire global community is grappling with the deepening effect of an unprecedented economic and financial crisis that undoubtedly has had a much graver impact on the developing world and in particular has set back the 34 least developed countries in Africa from attaining internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, by the target date of 2015. However, despite the gloom there are prospects on the horizon. With the support of the international community significant, progress has been made in fostering the objectives of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Conflicts on the continent have diminished. Many households sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito bednets. Some African heads of State, including the President of Sierra Leone, recently launched the African Leaders Malaria Alliance to combat this deadly pandemic. Nonetheless, we concur with the Secretary-General’s assessment that the key challenge is to ensure that the current economic downturn, including the food and energy crisis that preceded it, does not lead to a reversal of the gains achieved so far. The integration of NEPAD into the African Union marks a new dawn in advancing the socio-economic transformation agenda of the continent. It provides a window for strategic partnerships to explore areas of cooperation to address global challenges such as the debt issue, climate change, trade and regional integration and sustainable development. We are encouraged by the ongoing implementation of NEPAD projects ranging from the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme — of which my country is a recent member — to projects on infrastructure, environment, gender mainstreaming, education and training in information and communication technologies. At the level of governance, advances in the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism — involving 30 acceding countries, 12 of which are being reviewed — demonstrate the continent’s resolve to achieve a paradigm shift. On the home front, my Government has articulated and is currently implementing its Agenda for Change with the assistance and support of the United Nations Joint Vision. It is a framework through which Government has set clear priorities such as energy, agriculture and infrastructure as the drivers of growth and the necessary conditions for human development. The strategies for delivering these priorities include, among other things, improving public service capacity and enhancing public and private sector partnerships, as well as our domestic financial system. It is in this regard that we are intensifying our cooperation with traditional and new partners, particularly through South-South cooperation. The recent visit of President Koroma to Brazil and the conclusion of a tripartite agreement with Cuba and South Africa for improving health care delivery in my country are a clear demonstration of the Government’s determination to replicate best practices at that level. Cognizant of the fact that the responsibility for peace and security in Africa, including the capacity to address the root causes of conflict and to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner, lies primarily with African countries themselves, the African Union and subregional organizations are strengthening their capacities in conflict prevention and resolution. They are also taking the lead in peacekeeping operations on the continent. The African Union and subregional organizations are playing a significant role in responding to conflicts and potentially explosive situations. The African Union’s recent efforts to quell the post-election crisis in Kenya and its peacekeeping efforts in Darfur and Somalia are clear indications of the continent’s preparedness to rise to the occasion, with much-needed support from the international community and the United Nations. While these efforts are continuing, we are also witnessing a new wave of challenges involving unconstitutional changes of Government, transnational organized crime, narcotic drug trafficking, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea, piracy and issues of governance, human rights and corruption. Thus, the need to forge partnerships to strengthen capacities to respond to crises and security threats cannot be overemphasized. In this respect, my delegation urges a comprehensive review of the implementation of recommendations contained in the 1998 report of the Secretary-General (A/52/871) on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa in the light of the new and emerging issues affecting human security on the continent. In concluding this brief intervention, I reiterate my Government’s commitment to furthering the objectives of NEPAD, the promotion of good governance, sustainable peace and development, and further call upon our partners to intensify, among other things, efforts to first, eliminate all protectionist and distorting trade barriers by promoting and facilitating market access to developing countries, especially the least developed; secondly, to deliver on their commitments to achieve the official development assistance target of 0.7 per cent and 0.15 per cent of gross national income for the developing and least developed countries, respectively; thirdly, to ensure adequate and predictable funding and support for the peacebuilding efforts of countries emerging from conflict in order to facilitate their early recovery efforts for sustainable peace and development; fourthly, to promote and strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, as well as the subregional organizations; and finally, to address the unsustainable debt burden of heavily indebted poor countries.

Angola fully aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the Sudan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, as well as with the statement made by the representative of Tunisia on behalf of the African Group. We take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General for his seventh consolidated progress report (A/64/204) on implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD); his progress reports entitled “Africa’s development needs: state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward” (A/64/208) and “Implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (A/64/210); and his note entitled “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa” (A/64/302). We are confident that those reports will enable a better understanding of the progress made by African countries in implementing the key priorities of NEPAD. Angola notes with satisfaction that the Secretary- General’s report urges international development partners, including the United Nations system, to take concrete and urgent actions to mitigate the impact of the socio-economic crisis in order to assist African countries in stimulating their economies and implementing NEPAD. We are certain that such an effort will support Africa in its quest to achieve internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. The recent 10.2 per cent increase in official development assistance to Africa and the 16 per cent increase in foreign direct investment on the continent are notable achievements for Africa and its partners. While we remain concerned that extractive industries continue to absorb a disproportionate amount of those flows, those figures show that there are real opportunities on the continent. We are also concerned that the current global economic recession may reverse that trend, exposing many African economies to an exogenous shock where many will not have the policy space to enact the recommended policies. NEPAD has been designed for Africa and by Africans to tackle the major challenges to sustained economic growth and sustainable development in Africa. We are pleased to note that some projects conceived under NEPAD are being implemented, in particular in the domains of infrastructure, information, health, education, the environment, agriculture, science and technology, gender mainstreaming and civil society involvement. There are visible signs of progress, owing to a global partnership. In that context, we welcome the several partnership initiatives our continent has been developing with various countries and regions of the world. My delegation recognizes that peace, development and the protection of human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. In that regard, we are pleased with the level of cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations family, in particular as the African Union aims for political stability and the resolution of conflicts where they linger on the continent. In recent years, the African Union has substantially improved its capacity to contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the continent. We call on Africa’s partners to continue to support such efforts, as they are crucial for the economic growth and sustainable development of the continent. Angola maintains its commitment to the sectoral priorities of NEPAD. One such priority area is infrastructure, as it improves the conditions for the development of other sectors of the economy and plays an important role in attracting investment. The Angolan Government is implementing a national reconstruction programme that aims to build or rehabilitate the infrastructure that will facilitate trade and improve communication and movement throughout the country. The programme has enabled us to connect all 18 Angolan provinces. Although we have registered tangible progress in the health sector in Africa, it is important to highlight that future African generations are still at a risk of being condemned to suffer from malaria and other treatable diseases. Life expectancy figures are particularly gloomy for children under the age of 5. We strongly believe that the nature of those diseases compels us to undertake joint efforts at all levels to roll back its prevalence on the continent. For that reason, my country reaffirms its commitment to halve malaria mortality and commends other efforts and initiatives to that end. In that regard we welcome the launching of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and the strengthening of the United States Global Health Initiative, to which President Obama has pledged $63 billion over the next six years. I must convey our appreciation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank, which finances the Angola HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis Control Project, the Bush Presidential Initiative and other initiatives carried out by foundations. Combined, the efforts of Africans and their partners seek to deploy resources, institutions and knowledge in the fight against preventable and treatable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. The full implementation of all the commitments made to and for Africa, including NEPAD, was the subject of the political declaration of the high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs and on the state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward, which was held on 22 September 2008 here in New York. Among other things, that document recognized that Africa as a whole was being disproportionately affected by the negative consequences of the financial and economic crisis, climate change, the food crisis and volatile commodity prices. In order to overcome those challenges, Angola believes that the international community should, among other things, remain seized of the reform and strengthening of the international financial system and architecture so as to align it with the global need for stability, agility, support, participation, transparency, coherence and coordination. In addition, it should take concrete steps to reach a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, with the full realization of its development mandate, and undertake ambitious commitments vis-à-vis technology transfer and financing for adaptation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, so as to enable African countries to adapt to the impact of climate change and develop competitive green economies. My delegation stresses the need for concrete actions and time-bound commitments to meet specific needs relating to development assistance, trade, finance, access to markets, debt relief and sustainable development. Finally, we look forward to the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s reports related to NEPAD. Furthermore, we stress the need for this body to consider the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to enable us all to remain seized of the coordinated and coherent implementation of all commitments to, and by, Africa.

Nigeria aligns itself with the statements made earlier by the representatives of the Sudan and Tunisia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, respectively. My delegation commends the efforts of the Secretary-General in providing elaborate reports under sub-items (a) and (b) of agenda item 63, which is now under consideration. We are particularly thankful for the report (A/64/208) — and the insights it provides — on the challenges that lie ahead with regard to the full implementation of the September 2008 political declaration on Africa’s development needs. The symbolism of that report underscores the continued commitment of the United Nations system to maintain Africa’s development as a top item on the international community’s agenda. My delegation also wishes to take this opportunity to commend the leadership provided by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa in updating Member States through their comprehensive briefings. By doing so, they have afforded us an opportunity to appreciate the achievements that NEPAD has had and the challenges on the path towards the realization of its goals and objectives. Since coming into being, NEPAD has engendered optimism, even in the face of daunting challenges. Africa remains confident that that strategy was the right model for mitigating crises and propelling the continent’s sustainable development and growth. That belief underpins the tenacious commitment to creating an environment that will enable progress in the flagship sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, the environment, science and technology, information and communication technology, gender mainstreaming and civil society. Nigeria attaches the utmost importance to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a wholly unique African instrument for promoting and strengthening good governance that has gained popularity both within and outside Africa. Not only has the number of participating countries grown, the number of those that have been peer reviewed has also increased, thus deepening the culture of accountability, transparency and genuine self-examination on the continent. The success of the APRM has made it a regular paradigm of reference at many extra-African forums. My delegation therefore calls on those countries on the continent that have not yet acceded to it to do so, since, in the final analysis, good governance is about the well-being of the people. Good governance is a sine qua non precondition. As African countries navigate through the labyrinth of age-old economic difficulties, our efforts continue to contend with the inevitable influence of unforeseen exogenous circumstances which are manifested through a deluge of global crises in the energy and food sectors. The modest growth recorded in recent years has been substantially undermined by the current global financial and economic crisis. The result is the further weakening of the capacity of Africa to attain the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. In order to achieve a true and realistic global recovery, the international community needs to take appropriate measures to fend off further economic reversals on the continent. The United Nations and NEPAD provide ready platforms for articulating and formulating appropriate responses to Africa’s needs. Accordingly, we believe that the recommendations contained in the political declaration on Africa’s development needs of September 2008 and in the outcome document of the United Nations High-level Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, which was held from 24 to 26 June 2009, have the capacity to turn around the fortunes of the continent. The success achieved in consolidating the strategic partnership that NEPAD has created with friends of Africa from all over the world has further strengthened our faith in the United Nations system. Nigeria welcomes Africa’s productive engagement with Japan and the European Union, countries in the context of the South-South process, including China, India and Turkey, as well as countries participating in the Africa- South America Summit. We call for the expeditious implementation of the suggested useful remedies, including enhancing national capacities for the domestic mobilization of resources, the scaling up of official development assistance, increasing foreign direct investment, the speedy reactivation and conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, the expansion of the scope of multilateral and bilateral debt relief and outright debt cancellation for the poorest countries. Climate change stands out in the panoply of socio-economic challenges. It is not just an inhibitor to sustainable development but also an existential danger to the continent. My delegation commends the Secretary-General for once again demonstrating an unrelenting commitment to face this challenge frontally. We welcome the rare sense of optimism that resulted from his summit and hope that the momentum that has been generated will catalyse a comprehensive and all-inclusive agreement at Copenhagen in December. For us in Africa, the enormity of the effects of climate challenge has compelled us to take a collective approach to resolving it. In that regard, my delegation calls on the international community to uphold the common African position deriving from the uniqueness and peculiarity of climate change impact, especially considering the continent’s relatively weaker capacity to respond. My delegation acknowledges that meaningful sustainable development can only take root in an atmosphere where peace and security prevail. Thus, in Africa’s quest for development, even with the collaboration of partners, long drawn-out crises and conflicts constitute serious impediments. Such crises dissipate Africa’s resources and retard growth. It is for that reason that my delegation concurs with the Secretary-General’s conclusions and recommendations contained in his report (A/64/210). We urge Member States to work towards establishing lasting peace. Nigeria appreciates the continued commitment of the United Nations to restore peace and order in most of Africa’s hot spots. We are heartened that the experience with the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur has yielded some outstanding results. The success of that partnership should therefore be a lesson that can be adopted as strategy, not only for peacekeeping but also in formulating early warning mechanisms to halt potential conflicts. Equally gratifying is the work of the Peacebuilding Commission, which provides invaluable financial and other critical support for countries just transiting from peacekeeping towards peace, stability and development. At this critical moment in history, we believe that the opportunity provided by the international community’s support must be adequately complemented and reciprocated. As Africans, we must dedicate ourselves to adopting best practices and innovative strategies to maximize the gains. We cannot but agree with the call in the report on the need to invest in “mechanisms aimed at preventing conflict at the community, local, national and regional levels and supporting partners in the field to build their capacity to effectively address the new and emerging threats to peace and stability”. (A/64/210, para. 71) Similarly, we call for a preventive approach to the management of crises and conflicts. The efficacy of this approach derives from the institution of political governance, which is predicated on the principles of democracy, fairness, justice and the equitable allocation of resources. In that equation, there should be zero tolerance for democratic reversals in the form of unconstitutional changes of Government, self- succession or self-perpetuation in office. Since the holding of the 2000 Abuja Summit, which adopted the Abuja Declaration and plan of action, tremendous improvements and progress have been made in the area of rolling back malaria. However, that pandemic continues to ravage the continent, causing a high number of deaths among both children and adults. The effects go beyond the health of the individual. Economically, it brings a lot of hardship to people, particularly in Africa. Although considerable efforts have been made by affected countries and by donor agencies, the goals of Roll Back Malaria have not been realized. Africa is committed to eliminating the malaria scourge. To that end, Nigeria remains committed to hosting the Abuja-Plus Ten Summit on Roll Back Malaria in 2011. We therefore reiterate our earlier call for the support of the Secretary-General, not only to make the proposed summit possible but also to facilitate the realization of its objectives. Nigeria firmly believes that although the challenges facing Africa may be daunting, they are not insurmountable. With effective harmonization and coordination, the targets set out in the frameworks of the African Union, NEPAD and the APRM could fast track our transformation from a continent of lamentation to one of opportunity. My delegation therefore calls for the continued support of the international community in the process of integrating NEPAD into the structures and processes of a reformed African Union. Furthermore, the advancement of the various programmes of NEPAD, such as the African Peer Review Mechanism and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, support for the global strategic partnerships that are already improving the investment scenario on the continent and collaboration with, and support for, the Peace and Security Architecture of the African Union are critical for success. Above all, there is an urgent need to prioritize the redemption of the promises of aid made to Africa at various international forums. We firmly believe that an African continent in which hunger, poverty and disease are effectively combated, basic infrastructure functions and conflicts make way for peaceful coexistence is the continent to which we all aspire to meaningfully contribute to global peace and prosperity.

I would like to thank the President for convening this important meeting. My delegation would like to associate itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the Sudan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The fact that we are discussing the future of Africa is a cause for hope. The Venezuelan people, which has roots in Africa, is comprised of an array of different cultures that serve to make up our national identity. We are therefore not indifferent to Africa’s future. We are committed to it. The second summit of heads of State and Government from Africa and Latin America, which was held from 26 to 27 September on the island of Margarita in Venezuela, was a major step towards expanding South-South cooperation. Such cooperation has taken on new urgency in the light of today’s unbridled savage capitalism, whose underpinnings include the exploitation, dispossession and subjugation of countries by other countries. That has been the orientation of North-South relations. What is being proposed today is a new humanistic form of cooperation that is grounded in solidarity. At the Africa and South America summit, leaders from both regions committed themselves to fomenting South-South cooperation in order to create societies where social justice is the law of the land. It was also proposed to achieve sustainable economic growth, generate dignified work and promote social inclusion policies through the effective participation of young people, civil society and people with special needs, while at the same time taking the gender perspective into consideration. They also committed themselves to ensuring equality and mutual respect among States and to promoting economic cooperation while facilitating the equitable distribution of benefits resulting from the exchange of goods and services. With regard to national policies, the leaders called for increasing scientific knowledge and capacities and for their transfer, namely, by bringing together the scientific communities of Africa and South America, with a view to ensuring society’s ownership of scientific and technical understanding so as to promote educational and health opportunities and better living conditions for people. The Margarita summit took to a higher plane the interaction between two regions that are seeking new horizons to realize the ideals of justice and equality that their peoples have sought since colonial times. Venezuela attaches great importance to South- South cooperation in the context of its international relations. We have signed more than 100 agreements with various African countries. Those agreements, which are currently being implemented, were ratified at the Africa-South America summit. Venezuela currently has diplomatic relations with every country of the African Union. Before President Chávez came to power, Venezuela barely had eight embassies in Africa. Today, we have 18. The Margarita summit called for the strengthening of the Bank of the South, which South American countries have already set up and which will initially be capitalized at $20 billion. The Bank will be able to establish agreements with the African Development Bank based on fairness and without the heinous conditionalities imposed by the Bretton Woods institutions. President Chávez also called for promoting PetroSur and for the establishment of a research and implementation coordinating body for energy projects in service of South America and Africa. PetroSur aims at establishing cooperation and integration mechanisms based on complementarity, while fairly and democratically utilizing energy resources with a view to alleviating poverty and inequality. PetroSur also aims to minimize the negative consequences on developing countries caused by fluctuations in the price of energy, which is mainly affected by geopolitical factors and speculative variables. It also recognizes the importance of promoting cooperation and strategic alliances between oil companies of the countries of the South. Also at the Africa-South America summit, the leader of the Bolivarian revolution stated that there is an urgent need to establish a university of the South. Such an undertaking, which is deeply rooted in the spirit of liberation, could contribute to bridging the scientific and technological gap between developed and developing countries, as well as have a positive impact on the countries of South America and Africa. The international community should resolutely support the countries of Africa to combat malaria, HIV/AIDS and other catastrophic illnesses. In that regard, it is crucial to ensure universal free access to treatment for those illnesses, as we do in Venezuela. Likewise as we do in Venezuela, generic pharmaceutical drugs to prevent and treat those illnesses should be manufactured under compulsory licensing. It is immoral that multinational drug companies enrich themselves on people’s illness and suffering. Human health cannot be a business. The United Nations must firmly commit itself to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. All African countries must attain the Millennium Development Goals. This should be a challenge that every country in the world rises to. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its readiness to foster South-South cooperation and to fight side by side with African peoples and Governments to attain the development they so deeply desire.